HCAP WEEKLY May 29, 2023

Kumuhonua Participant Keeps Shelter Welcoming and Finds Permanent Housing

Bonnie arrived at the Kumuhonua Transitional Living Center (KTLC) in December 2021. She had been a participant in a few emergency shelters before she arrived at Kumuhonua and was thankful to be a part of HCAP’s program because of the level of support and stability she received at KTLC. It did not take long for Bonnie to make a reputation for herself as the shelter “mom” because she enjoyed cooking meals in bulk to share with her fellow participants. Bonnie always put others before herself and enjoyed keeping Kumuhonua tidy. She was often with her broom and dustpan in hand, cleaning what she could and talking story with everyone.

Bonnie was also very proactive when it came to securing housing. Bonnie made sure she was always one step ahead by having all of her documents organized and making sure she was early to all of her appointments. In February of 2023, Bonnie’s hard work paid off. Bonnie received a letter in the mail from the City and County’s Section 8 Program informing her that she had been approved for the Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCV). Bonnie was ecstatic to finally have her own home. In April of this year, Bonnie moved from Kumuhonua into her beautiful downtown studio apartment. Bonnie shared, “Without the staff of Kumuhonua, getting my own place would not be possible.”

Kumuhonua staff send a huge thank you to Bonnie for taking care of KTLC and its participants while she was here. Congratulations, Bonnie!

Click Here to learn more about the Kumuhonua Transitional Living Center.

Nā Lima Hana Assists New Mom

Mollie is a past HCAP employee who moved to Las Vegas in December 2020. After giving birth last summer, Mollie and her family decided to move back to Hawaiʻi. From previously working at HCAP’s Windward District Service Center, Mollie knew that Nā Lima Hana Employment Core Services aided individuals with job search and reached out to the district manager, Sonny. HCAP would have excitedly welcomed Mollie back on the team, but she was seeking a part-time job with hours for flexible hours to accommodate her young baby.

The staff enrolled Mollie into the Nā Lima Hana program and began her employment assessment. Within record time, staff helped Mollie find an on-call position at Windward Pediatrics in Kaneʻohe. After she submitted verification of employment, Mollie expressed her need for work attire because all she had was maternity clothes. Through Nā Lima Hana, HCAP provided work attire that same week and also started Mollie on an incentive program. As of today, Mollie has been employed for over 90 days and has earned Target gift cards which she used to buy baby diapers and necessities.

Although HCAP staff hoped that Mollie could have returned to the Windward District Center, they are happy about her achievements and wish her continued success.

Click Here to learn more about Nā Lima Hana.

Photo Editing with the Hā Initiative

Students in the Ha Initiative: Creative STEM After-School Program have been utilizing technology to participate in a nature photo contest. The contest started at the STEM location in Hauʻula, followed by the rest of the STEM Exploration Centers. Using iPads, the STEM students went outside and took pictures of trees, bugs, flowers, clouds, etc. After their photo shoot, students selected their favorite photo to edit and utilized the Photo Editor application to crop and explore filters, and adjust the brightness, exposure, contrast, saturation, highlights, and shadows of the photo. These skills introduce students to digital editing, digital design, and the technology of photography. The photos were uploaded to a Google folder where the teachers at our STEM exploration Centers choose a winner from each site.

Click Here to learn more about the Hā Initiative.